Is the average American illiterate?

Vlad · May 6, 2004

First of all, US fellas, I am not trying to bash you.I have been to the US three times, the 4th this summer, and I love a lot of things there.But there´s something that has been shocking me.I had always heard that American people don´t have too much knowledge.I really believed it was a stereotype.But due to my own experience, I have had really weird situaatiosn:

Lots of people thinking Spain is in Mexico
People asking if in Spain we had TV sets, cars and microwaves, or if we all go dressed as bullfighters
I was really shocked when the mother of the family I lived with in Florida, asked me if there was still a dictatorship in Spain(it ended about 30 yrs ago)
A teacher of English I had while being in Florida, who had lived in france, spoke French and wrote for a magazine, thinking about burritos and nachos as Spanish typical food

What do you think?

slerch666 · May 6, 2004

It's not Americans that are illiterate, it's that, unfortunately, the world is full of fucking stupid people. It's not just an American issue. You just happened to be visiting a cross section of the US that is full of idiots I guess.

And even though I am most definitely NOT illiterate, I could barely tell you anything about Spain, other than my Uncle, who through a divorce is technically no longer related to me, lives there. I've seen videos he's made and it looks like a beautiful place. As far as Spanish politics go, I couldn't tell you shit.

It would be impossible for everyone to know everything. If I had a desire to learn about Spain, I would go out of my way to learn about Spain. Spain just isn't something I am that interested in. I know tacos aren't spanish. I know Spanish Spanish is somewhat different than Meican Spanish. I know I took Spanish in HS but didn't learn shit, other than dirty words I shouldn't have known.

dragonwillow · May 6, 2004

Cultural bias. Yes, a lot Americans tend to be extremely ignorant of the rest of the world.
Most people still don't know the difference between China and Japan... and, I've seen several cases of my peers not knowing the difference between Austria and Australia.

I remember back a while ago, they did a survey of American geographic knowledge.

Was it 50% of American teens who could not find America on a world map?
Even fewer know where Afghanistan and Iraq are, even after 9/11.

Sad, but is it true? Not too sure. Public education is a travesty is a lot of places here.

It's funny though. I had a friend from France ask me if all people in Texas wore "the hat".

EDIT:
Slerch you live in Maryland... education up north is 50x better than down South here :P

SouthtownKid · May 6, 2004

I remember some years back, when Kobe had that big quake, I heard some 50-something year old guy talking about Japan. He said he wasn't surprised so many buildings fell and so many people died, since their houses were all made of paper. Years later that still makes me chuckle. I think you'll find idiots wherever you go in this world. We have our fair share, but no monopoly.

slerch666 · May 6, 2004

dragonwillow said:
EDIT:
Slerch you live in Maryland... education up north is 50x better than down South here :P

I ain't need no ejebicashun.

aria · May 6, 2004

Of course Americans are illiterate: just look at the ones who post here

But seriously folks,

I think the better word would be "ignorant".

Are most Americans ignorant? Um, according to studies comparing our average high school graduate... we are below most of Western Europe. However, I think the US is more polarized: There are a lot of smary/very smart people, and a ton of idiots. They balance out the average.

When it comes to world affairs, world culture, world history, Americans are by-and-large sub-idiots. They believe anything shoveled their way because they have nothing to compare it to -like hogs they swill up whatever information the politicians or their media cronies feed them. Afterwards the start oinking and defecating on themselves... no, not really but I was having fun with this analogy.

jethrek · May 6, 2004

Vlad said:
First of all, US fellas, I am not trying to bash you.I have been to the US three times, the 4th this summer, and I love a lot of things there.But there´s something that has been shocking me.I had always heard that American people don´t have too much knowledge.I really believed it was a stereotype.But due to my own experience, I have had really weird situaatiosn:

Lots of people thinking Spain is in Mexico
People asking if in Spain we had TV sets, cars and microwaves, or if we all go dressed as bullfighters
I was really shocked when the mother of the family I lived with in Florida, asked me if there was still a dictatorship in Spain(it ended about 30 yrs ago)
A teacher of English I had while being in Florida, who had lived in france, spoke French and wrote for a magazine, thinking about burritos and nachos as Spanish typical food

What do you think?

You may have hit the nail on the head, but misnamed the nail. It's not illiteracy, so much as cultural ignorance.

But then Spanish culture in particular is something that the US for a long time had much less contact with than French culture. People often link Spanish language (the only thing "Spanish" we hear about on a day-to-day basis) with Latin America- a place we're more familiar with than Spain itself.

But also, yeah there's a lot of stupid people here.

kaos · May 6, 2004

Ernst Hemingway....do you know who is him?

said:
"God makes people on earth making war, so that americans can learn some geography"

slerch666 · May 6, 2004

kaos said:
"God makes people on earth making war, so that americans can learn some geography"

Amen.

galfordo · May 6, 2004

Bobak said:
However, I think the US is more polarized: There are a lot of smary/very smart people, and a ton of idiots. They balance out the average.

very true.

When it comes to world affairs, world culture, world history, Americans are by-and-large sub-idiots. They believe anything shoveled their way because they have nothing to compare it to -like hogs they swill up whatever information the politicians or their media cronies feed them. Afterwards the start oinking and defecating on themselves... no, not really but I was having fun with this analogy.

I agree that this is by-and-large the case. But we're certainly not alone in this one. Ignorance is everywhere.

BoriquaSNK · May 6, 2004

Now before I say anything, I mean no offense to my European and Asian brothers, take this with a grain of salt...ahem, I am an American, and being that my university has campuses all over the world, specifically Temple England and Temple Japan, we get a lot of Brits and Nipponese over here. Each one feels the need to tell me that my country has ruined the world, that we are a blight on mankind, and that we are uncultured imposing idiots. I understand where you guys might get that impression, but the reality is that your assumption that Americans are illiterate says a lot about your country as well. Over here, because of the pictures painted by the media, Americans think that all Englishmen are charming (I have several Scottish friends...none of whom are charming) and all Frenchmen are rude (ok...I have one friend from France and he IS incredibly rude, however I won't hold that against his country). Every German is a shouting, screaming, perfectionist Nazi, every Italian is a greasy, greasy, greasy, greasy fatass, etc. The fact is, it's the international media to blame and I for one am tired of people assuming that Americans are idiots.

When comparing the high school testing scores with those of a different country, keep in mind that America has close to 300 MILLION PEOPLE. Compare that with the 60 Million in England and the 60 Million in France, and the 70 Million in Japan, it throws the average off. Gentlemen, it's called standard deviation. Americans spend on average 40 hours a week working, that's higher than ANY other industrialized nation in the world (yes, even Japan guys). Americans invented eye glasses, the Airplane (I'm sorry. Aeroplane), the Telephone, the atomic bomb, and the motherfucking lightbulb.

China has the abacus? The UK has crumpets? France has the guillotine?

Culture:

America invented the Musical and the feature length motion picture.

America invented Budweiser, Marlboro, and Coca Cola...the three most valuable resources in the world.

Those Jeans 90% of you are wearing? Invented in the US of A.

Two largest Motor Vehicle Companies, Ford and GM, American.

Largest weapons manufacturers, Northrop Grummin, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Colt, Smith and Wesson, Fulton. All American.

In Literature, we have Hemmingway, Steinbeck (a favorite amongst the soviets), Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, Capote, the existentialists, Dickenson, cummings, the list goes on.

I am not a xenophobic Mississippi mud licking conservative war-monger either, I was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and my blood is 100% Andalusian. But I'm the son of a Lt. Colonel and I grew up with a large appreciation for the country in which I live.

...rant over.

aria · May 6, 2004

galfordo said:
I agree that this is by-and-large the case. But we're certainly not alone in this one. Ignorance is everywhere.

No doubt. Sometimes I wonder if the average-Joe American realizes how much in common he/she has with the Average-Abdul Iraqi. Both probably have very ignorant perceptions of the other (although the Iraqis certainly get to see more Americans up-close and in-person these days).

dragonwillow · May 6, 2004

BoriquaSNK said:
Now before I say anything, I mean no offense to my European and Asian brothers, take this with a grain of salt...ahem, I am an American, and being that my university has campuses all over the world, specifically Temple England and Temple Japan, we get a lot of Brits and Nipponese over here. Each one feels the need to tell me that my country has ruined the world, that we are a blight on mankind, and that we are uncultured imposing idiots. I understand where you guys might get that impression, but the reality is that your assumption that Americans are illiterate says a lot about your country as well. Over here, because of the pictures painted by the media, Americans think that all Englishmen are charming (I have several Scottish friends...none of whom are charming) and all Frenchmen are rude (ok...I have one friend from France and he IS incredibly rude, however I won't hold that against his country). Every German is a shouting, screaming, perfectionist Nazi, every Italian is a greasy, greasy, greasy, greasy fatass, etc. The fact is, it's the international media to blame and I for one am tired of people assuming that Americans are idiots.

When comparing the high school testing scores with those of a different country, keep in mind that America has close to 300 MILLION PEOPLE. Compare that with the 60 Million in England and the 60 Million in France, and the 70 Million in Japan, it throws the average off. Gentlemen, it's called standard deviation. Americans spend on average 40 hours a week working, that's higher than ANY other industrialized nation in the world (yes, even Japan guys). Americans invented eye glasses, the Airplane (I'm sorry. Aeroplane), the Telephone, the atomic bomb, and the motherfucking lightbulb.

China has the abacus? The UK has crumpets? France has the guillotine?

Culture:

America invented the Musical and the feature length motion picture.

America invented Budweiser, Marlboro, and Coca Cola...the three most valuable resources in the world.

Those Jeans 90% of you are wearing? Invented in the US of A.

Two largest Motor Vehicle Companies, Ford and GM, American.

Largest weapons manufacturers, Northrop Grummin, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Colt, Smith and Wesson, Fulton. All American.

In Literature, we have Hemmingway, Steinbeck (a favorite amongst the soviets), Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, Capote, the existentialists, Dickenson, cummings, the list goes on.

I am not a xenophobic Mississippi mud licking conservative war-monger either, I was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and my blood is 100% Andalusian. But I'm the son of a Lt. Colonel and I grew up with a large appreciation for the country in which I live.

...rant over.

That's out of proportion. You can't say Americans invented so many things... yes, the people were American citizens, but many of the smartest inventors and innovators are first generation immigrants.

Tell me, who makes more games?
Electronic Arts or EA Pacific/Westwood Studios

It's not a complete lie to say that America's talent doesn't all come from Americans. It comes from foreigners who become Americans.

jethrek · May 6, 2004

dragonwillow said:
That's out of proportion. You can't say Americans invented so many things... yes, the people were American citizens, but many of the smartest inventors and innovators are first generation immigrants.

Tell me, who makes more games?
Electronic Arts or EA Pacific/Westwood Studios

It's not a complete lie to say that America's talent doesn't all come from Americans. It comes from foreigners who become Americans.

We all started as foreigners here, but once we became American you can't just say "It's really the French inventing this!"

They came here for a reason, ya know? Spain's great discovery was made by an Italian- but Italy didn't take the risk.

AztekNinja · May 6, 2004

BoriquaSNK said:
Now before I say anything, I mean no offense to my European and Asian brothers, take this with a grain of salt...ahem, I am an American, and being that my university has campuses all over the world, specifically Temple England and Temple Japan, we get a lot of Brits and Nipponese over here. Each one feels the need to tell me that my country has ruined the world, that we are a blight on mankind, and that we are uncultured imposing idiots. I understand where you guys might get that impression, but the reality is that your assumption that Americans are illiterate says a lot about your country as well. Over here, because of the pictures painted by the media, Americans think that all Englishmen are charming (I have several Scottish friends...none of whom are charming) and all Frenchmen are rude (ok...I have one friend from France and he IS incredibly rude, however I won't hold that against his country). Every German is a shouting, screaming, perfectionist Nazi, every Italian is a greasy, greasy, greasy, greasy fatass, etc. The fact is, it's the international media to blame and I for one am tired of people assuming that Americans are idiots.

When comparing the high school testing scores with those of a different country, keep in mind that America has close to 300 MILLION PEOPLE. Compare that with the 60 Million in England and the 60 Million in France, and the 70 Million in Japan, it throws the average off. Gentlemen, it's called standard deviation. Americans spend on average 40 hours a week working, that's higher than ANY other industrialized nation in the world (yes, even Japan guys). Americans invented eye glasses, the Airplane (I'm sorry. Aeroplane), the Telephone, the atomic bomb, and the motherfucking lightbulb.

China has the abacus? The UK has crumpets? France has the guillotine?

Culture:

America invented the Musical and the feature length motion picture.

America invented Budweiser, Marlboro, and Coca Cola...the three most valuable resources in the world.

Those Jeans 90% of you are wearing? Invented in the US of A.

Two largest Motor Vehicle Companies, Ford and GM, American.

Largest weapons manufacturers, Northrop Grummin, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Colt, Smith and Wesson, Fulton. All American.

In Literature, we have Hemmingway, Steinbeck (a favorite amongst the soviets), Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, Capote, the existentialists, Dickenson, cummings, the list goes on.

I am not a xenophobic Mississippi mud licking conservative war-monger either, I was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and my blood is 100% Andalusian. But I'm the son of a Lt. Colonel and I grew up with a large appreciation for the country in which I live.

...rant over.

Nice! The Rican representing! :buttrock:

dragonwillow · May 6, 2004

I'm just saying, if you say that the source of America's wealth is America, that's just not true.

aria · May 6, 2004

dragonwillow said:
I'm just saying, if you say that the source of America's wealth is America, that's just not true.

Heh, not anymore... its those fine folks in China/India/etc that are willing to work more for less pay and help American Corps get a better bottom line.

I will award points that America's wealth is "managed" in America

[and this is all in good fun, I'm not trying to start an ideological battle over globalization, international trade/WTO/GATT, etc]

THEMAN · May 6, 2004

I'm going to be in Spain in late July to early August.
SPAIN: Founded by the Visigoths after the fall of Rome. Along with French, Portuguese, Italian, and Romanian is one of the Romance languages based on Latin. From the Fall of Rome to the Muslim conquest, the Visigoths ruled Spain for about 200 years. During the Reconquista, the Catholics started reconquering Spain slowly but surely city by city until only Grenada was left which fell in 1492 after which the monarchy King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella focused their energies on other efforts like sponsoring Colombus' journey to the new world. It was the leading nation during the Counter-Reformation during the Renaissance when Protestantism was spreading throughout Northern Europe. This was seen through the strong practice of the Inquisition in Spain in which torture was used to make heretics and Jews confess. The Counter-Reformation in Spain was also seen in works of art like the painter El Greco. During the Napoleonic Wars, it was beaten by Napoleon and one of his relatives I believe was made King. There was a time during the 15th or 16th century when Charles V was King of Spain and Holy Roman Emperor at the same time and thus threatened French security and interests. Spanish hegemony was at its highest during the 1500's when they were exploring central and South America and when some of their explorers were trying to circumnavigat the globe along with Portugal. It lost its stautus as being the world's foremost power in 1588 when the Spainish Armada was defeated the Queen Elizabeth's England a battle that was largely precipitated by English Privateers and Pirates like Sir Francis Drake who was plundering Spanish fleets like the Manila Galleon which regularly sailed from Mexico to the the Far East (Philippines). Spain was under a fascist dictatorship during a big chunck of the 20th century under Franco. His adept manuevering kept Spain out of WW2 by skilfully negotiating with Hitler. After his death in 1975 Spain instituted full reforms in order to be at par with other West European nations and is now an equal member with other powerful West European nations due to its membership in the EU.

YES, I AM AMERICAN AND AS YOU CAN SEE I AM NOT IGNORANT AND ILL-INFORMED!!!!!!!!!!

Although yes I do agree that there are many stupid ill-informed Americans out there who think stuff like Chinese, Japanese and, Korean are all the same even though their cultures have bigger differences than European cultures just because they can't tell them apart. But there are also many educated and informed Americans although I do believe where the perception is coming from.

Magnaflux · May 6, 2004

We are from my experience; unable to digest simple information into meaningfull results.

Its a good thing the media organizations feed us what we need to think; its for the best of the nation.

However, don't feel bad that the average American is a dumbass, every leader needs their sheep.

it's all in the natural cycle of things.

BeefJerky · May 6, 2004

Heh.. I remember 11th grade English (I dropped out but I'm a lot more open-minded than the average American). When all this shit in Iraq was escalating, most of the class couldn't find Iraq on a map... Then one schmuck asked "Why do we need to know where Iraq is on a map?". I don't know why we'd need to either but I'm not gonna reject the knowledge. Might as well know it.

We're not all bad, Vlad.. And whoever asked you if Spain was in Mexico needs to be shot.

Chicago Cheeseburgler Crew · May 6, 2004

Is Spain in Mexico?

slerch666 · May 6, 2004

buttasuperb said:
Is Spain in Mexico?

I thought it was part of China... :loco:

BeefJerky · May 6, 2004

buttasuperb said:
Is Spain in Mexico?

BUKKAKESLICE

RAINBOW PONY · May 6, 2004

unfortunatly america attracts the stupidest most ignorant people from every country, and we have to call them our own when they come here......

you're pretty fucking dumb if you think spain is in mexica btw.....

Maury V. · May 6, 2004

Bobak said:
Are most Americans ignorant? Um, according to studies comparing our average high school graduate... we are below most of Western Europe. However, I think the US is more polarized: There are a lot of smary/very smart people, and a ton of idiots. They balance out the average.

Funny you say that. Two months ago, my math teacher told us about the ranked high schools in the world. On a scale of 1-50, the U.S. is 43. We're dangerously borderline with the third world countries that are ranked 44-50. He also said Japan and China didn't want to be want to be included in the ranking because they would, for a fact, shut out just about every country. It's sad really, the US is the richest country in the world yet they're the dumbest and most ignorant. :oh_no:

Is the average American illiterate?

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